DelawareWILMINGTON, Del. – Delaware Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long held a press conference Monday to release the final report from the Office of Early Learning Advisory Committee. In the report, several recommendations were made to invest in early childhood education which the Lt. Governor says is critical to ensure the state’s youngest get the best start possible for a bright future.
Recently, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley stood before lawmakers in Baton Rouge and delivered some modest good news in hopes that the Legislature would continue to fund efforts to prime the educator supply pipeline. Though it had not caught up with pre-pandemic levels, the state’s teacher retention rate for the 2021-22 school year ticked up 2 percentage points over the year before, to 86%.
MarylandThe Baltimore County Public Schools system is proposing to cut over 160 vacant teaching positions to save millions. Staff from the budget office say it’s to match declining enrollment numbers, but union leaders and the school board chair still find it concerning.
MichiganFLINT, Mich. (WJRT) – One month after announcing she wants to make preschool free for all 4-year-olds in Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer visited Flint’s state-of-the-art Educare preschool facility on Monday.
SPONSORED BLOG Excitement. Jitters. Uncertainty. The new school year comes with a multitude of emotions and challenges — but thankfully there are things you can do ahead of time to prepare and ensure it’s the...
Language and literacy skills are fundamental building blocks for a child’s development, enabling effective communication, social interaction, and academic success throughout grade school and beyond. For young children with disabilities, however, traditional educational models may...
The Council for Professional Recognition’s Council Alumni Network (CAN) recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. This free community boasts 1200+ members. CAN is a diverse group of stakeholders in early childhood education (ECE) across the U.S....
A couple of years before becoming a mother, I saw the classic movie Terms of Endearment. Before the opening credits, the film portrayed Aurora, played by Shirley MacLaine, as a worried mom who checked on...
“Every child deserves a champion,” said longtime teacher Rita Pierson in a famous TED talk. She was talking about “an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and...
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I wanted to share how it is important for us all to reflect on women’s progress in the business world and the importance of supporting and empowering...
My mom called me up some years ago to praise a movie about a pig. As she began to mimic the pig’s squeaky little voice, I started to wonder what this meant and worried my...
It takes a village to raise a child, the old proverb tells us. But we need to expand our perspective, according to pediatric surgeon, social scientist and mom Dana Suskind. In her heartfelt work, Parent...
Dr. Calvin Moore shared that when he first arrived at the Council and took on the CEO role, he was focused on assessing the early childhood education (ECE) landscape, the reach of the organization and...
Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
Read our monthly e-newsletter and keep up to date on all Council programs and services, as well as the latest news in the world of early care and education. Subscribe today to stay connected with us. You’ll receive timely information on events, webinars, special promotions, and more.
